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Canopy Uptake of 15NH3 by Four Temperate Tree Species and the Interaction with Leaf Properties

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Abstract

Tree canopies are believed to act as a sink of atmospheric ammonia (NH3). However, few studies have compared the uptake efficiency of different tree species. This study assessed the uptake of 15N-labelled NH3 at 5, 20, 50 and 100 ppbv by leaves and twigs of potted silver birch, European beech, pedunculate oak and Scots pine saplings in June, August and September 2008. Additionally, foliar uptake of 13C-labelled carbon dioxide (13CO2) and leaf stomatal characteristics were determined per species and treatment date and the relation with 15NH3 uptake and estimated stomatal 15NH3 uptake were assessed. Both 15NH3 and 13CO2 uptake were affected by tree species and treatment date, but only 15NH3 uptake was influenced by the applied NH3 concentration. Depending on the treatment date, 15NH3 uptake by leaves and twigs was highest at 5 (September), 20 (June) or 50 (August) ppbv. Birch, beech and oak leaves showed the highest uptake in August, while for pine needles this was in June and, except at 5 ppbv in June, the 15NH3 uptake was always higher for the deciduous species than for pine. For all species except beech 13CO2 uptake was highest in August and on every treatment date the 13CO2 uptake by leaves of deciduous species was significantly higher than by pine needles. Leaf characteristics and 13CO2 uptake did not provide a strong explanation for the observed differences in 15NH3 uptake. This study shows that on the short-term a high interspecific variability exists in NH3 uptake, which depends on the time in the growing season.

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Acknowledgements

We gratefully acknowledge L. Willems, G. De bruyn, K. Van Nieuland, J. Vermeulen, K. Ceunen and A. De Mey for field and laboratory assistance. The first author is granted by a research project (G.0205.08N) of the Research Foundation—Flanders (FWO) and the fourth author by the BIOHYPE project of the Belgian Federal Science Policy Office (BELSPO). The second and third authors are funded as postdoctoral fellow of respectively FWO and the Special Research Fund of Ghent University (BOF) and the fifth author by a Ph.D. fellowship of the Institute for the Promotion of Innovation through Science and Technology in Flanders (IWT-Vlaanderen).

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  1. Sandy Adriaenssens

    Present address: Belgian Interregional Environment Agency (IRCEL), Kunstlaan 10-11, 1210, Brussels, Belgium

  2. Jeroen Staelens

    Present address: Flemish Environment Agency (VMM), Kronenburgstraat 45, 2000, Antwerp, Belgium

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Forest and Nature Lab, Ghent University, Geraardsbergsesteenweg 267, 9090, Gontrode (Melle), Belgium

    Sandy Adriaenssens, Jeroen Staelens, Karen Wuyts & Kris Verheyen

  2. Isotope Bioscience Laboratory—ISOFYS, Ghent University, Coupure links 653, 9000, Ghent, Belgium

    Jeroen Staelens & Pascal Boeckx

  3. Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020, Antwerp, Belgium

    Karen Wuyts, Shari Van Wittenberghe, Tatiana Wuytack & Roeland Samson

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  1. Sandy Adriaenssens
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Adriaenssens, S., Staelens, J., Wuyts, K. et al. Canopy Uptake of 15NH3 by Four Temperate Tree Species and the Interaction with Leaf Properties. Water Air Soil Pollut 223, 5643–5657 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-012-1304-4

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